How to Make Your Own Raw Chocolate- Guest Post

This is the second time I've had a wonderful guest post from Gemma Hodgson, and what's not to love about this one?! Her previous post was Why Grow Your Own Sprouts and it was so full of great information and healthy benefits, that I couldn't resist when she offered to also do this one on how to make your own chocolate.  Take it away amazing Gemma!

Make Your Own Raw Chocolate! It’s Easy!

Lucky for the billions of chocolate lovers around the world, numerous studies have established that yes, chocolate can actually be good for you. One study published in May, 2017 in the journal Heart by researchers at Harvard, found that the consumption of moderate amounts of dark chocolate was linked to a significantly lower risk of atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heartbeat that can be deadly). The researchers concluded, “Our study adds to the accumulating evidence on the health benefits of moderate chocolate intake and highlights the importance of behavioral factors for potentially lowering the risk of arrhythmias.” 

Other research has pointed to many more benefits of dark chocolate – including its incredibly high magnesium content. Raw cacao is actually rich in iron, PEA (a compound thought to enhance mood and energy levels), and flavonoids –known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Fascinating studies have pointed out that chocolate can improve cognitive performance, reduce the likelihood of stroke, play an important role in preventing memory decline, reduce levels of bad cholesterol (and raise levels of good cholesterol) and even promote beautiful skin (because of its flavonoid content). The sky is the limit when it comes to the benefits of chocolate, yet often, the type we consume, is far from healthy.

What is the Problem with Chocolate?
Most commercially accessible chocolate (especially milk chocolate) contains inordinate amounts of refined sugar, which promotes insulin resistance, is bad for heart health, and causes tooth decay. So bad is sugar for the teeth that dentists are currently recommending that children avoid bottled juice, since the high sugar content tends to stick to teeth and cause decay, often leading to painful, expensive procedures which would be so easy to avoid by consuming a more nutritious diet. Milk chocolate, which melts easily, also poses a high risk for tooth health.

The average milk chocolate actually contains very little cacao – it tends to comprise 50 per cent white sugar and 35 per cent milk solids – how much room does this actually leave for the cacao itself? The high sugar content means that the bad actually outweighs the good. The best way to reap all the benefits of the potent cacao bean, is to make your very own raw chocolate. Raw chocolate actually contains three times more antioxidants than green tea. By avoiding dairy (which blocks antioxidant absorption), we can make our favorite treat even healthier. In addition to containing a wealth of flavonoids, raw chocolate is also high in fiber (which makes us feel full and which therefore can be of aid in a weight loss diet), in anandamides (which boost mood and promote a sense of well being), and sulphur (a mineral that can aid in making our skin, hair and nails strong and beautiful).

Best of all, raw chocolate is so easy to make! Follow our basic recipe below:

Raw Chocolate
Ingredients (serves 6)
8 tablespoons cocoa butter
4 tablespoons cocoa liquor
2/3 cup raw cocoa powder
8 tablespoons raw honey
pinch of Himalayan salt
* any additional ingredients you would like such as raw nuts, goji berries or other dried fruit

Instructions:
Sift the raw cocoa powder and set aside. Melt the cocoa butter in one pan and the cocoa liquor in another pan; use the boiler method for both to ensure the chocolate is not cooked but just melted. Mix the cocoa butter and liquor in a bowl, adding the honey until the mixture is smooth. Add the raw cocoa power and salt and mix again. If you like citrusy flavours, add an edible, therapeutic grade essential oil like bergamot or mandarin – use just one drop, as essential oils are very potent and you wouldn’t want them to overtake the chocolatey taste.
You can add any additional ingredients at this stage; some people love to chunk up their chocolate with anything from raw cashews to dried blueberries. Pour your chocolate mix into a mold – you can use any silicone mold you like, to make rectangular shaped bars, or mini bonbons.

The good news is that you won’t have to wait to long to sample your little big of heaven, since the chocolate will harden in as little as 10 or 15 minutes! If you like to blend fruit with chocolate, take large, ripe strawberries and dip them into the chocolate then place in the fridge until the chocolate hardens – the result will be so decadent, you’ll find it hard to believe it’s actually good for you!

Thank you so much for sharing this Gemma! Now everyone can make more chocolate! What's not to love about that?!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Why Grow Your Own Sprouts? (Guest Post)

It is very rarely that I ever have anyone else add outside content to my blog. In fact, this might be one of the first in the last several years.  That being said, a great gal named Gemma Hodgson contacted me a few days ago with some great thoughts on why anyone should grow their own sprouts.  She talked about my Alfalfa Sprout Tutorial from several years ago, and I had to agree that sprouting is a remarkable skill to have. This goes along with what we've learned recently here on the The Power of Indoor Micro-green Farming . I love sprouting! It has been a great boost to my own health! So, I'm adding Gemma's article here to the blog. Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us Gemma!

Why Grow Your Own Sprouts
by Gemma Hodgson

Why Grow Your Own Sprouts?
In a previous blog entry, Chef Tess Bakeresse showed readers how to grow alfalfa sprouts, one of the easiest and most popular sprouts to grow. Of course, many other sprouts can be grown at home, including chickpeas, lentils, buckwheat, mung beans, unshelled sesame seeds, adzuki and so much more. Sprouting can be achieved quickly (sometimes in as little as three days) and cheaply (you can cut down quite a bit off your grocery bill by making your own sprouts for sandwiches, soups, stews and salads). However, one thing that is quite surprising, is the wide range of benefits we can received from eating foods in sprouted form.
Sprouts have actually been used to enhance healing for thousands of years in China, though it wasn’t until World War II that they became more prevalent in the United States. At this time, protein sources were hard to come by and the scientific community advised the government that the consumption of germinated sprouts was the cheapest and best alternative to meat protein.

• Sprouts are easier to digest

Many people complain that after eating mung beans, chickpeas or lentils, they can have digestive trouble, including a bloated sensation, or a heavy, uncomfortable feeling. This is because these foods, when unsprouted, contain high levels of enzyme inhibitors, which stop our body from absorbing important minerals. Growing our sprouts at home is not only a good idea from an economic standpoint; it is also a good way to eat healthily yet still feel light and energetic.

• Sprouts contain more vitamins

The Vitamin B and C content of foods such as mung beans, chickpeas and lentils rises dramatically when we sprout them. Sprouting neutralizes enzyme inhibitors and enhances the functioning of the body’s own enzymes. Sprouts are also rich in proteins and minerals.
As noted in the book Microgreens: Novel, Fresh and Functional Food to Explore All the Value of Biodiversity, “Although often used with the main aesthetic objective for cymbal decoration, microgreens also have an excellent nutritional profile and ... are considered ‘functional foods’ or ‘superfoods’, as they can also provide bioactive compounds capable of improving some functions of the body and/or reduce the risk of disease.”

• Sprouts can play a role in disease prevention

Sprouts are an almost perfect food. They are rich in antioxidants, which fight free radicals. Oxidation gives rise to abnormal cells which proliferate and contribute to the development of age-related diseases. Sprouts can therefore play an important role in a lifestyle which looks to prevent a host of conditions, including immunity-related conditions and cancer. Sprouts are rich in flavonoids, which help kill off cancer cells. Researchers have concluded that since different flavonoids are present in different foods, knowledge about the different types of flavonoids can be purposely applied to prevent cancer and as a complementary part of cancer treatment.

• Sprouts promote heart and kidney health

When a person has heart or kidney problems, their electrolyte counts tend to be abnormal. Those with kidney disease normally have low electrolyte counts, since they tend to retain fluid. Sprouts also promote heart health, since they are low on the glycemic index and can form part of a healthy diet aimed at keeping blood sugar levels table.

• Sprouts are an excellent detox food

If you regularly detox or you are seeking to rid your body of harmful toxins (even if you are undergoing rehabilitation for either substance abuse or alcohol addiction), sprouts are an excellent item for conclusion in your nutritionally program. They are nutritious, yet contain very few calories often, negligible amounts of fat. At times when body and mind are facing a difficult challenge, optimal nutrition is vital. Research has shown that organically grown foods are higher in antioxidants than conventionally grown produce; moreover, they are free of toxins and heavy metals, which can be present in non-organic foods. Sprouts are a 100 per cent organic food you can grow in between three to five days at home – it just doesn’t get any better than that!
Clive McCay, Professor of Nutrition at Cornell University, hits the nail on the head when he calls sprouts “A vegetable which will grow in any climate, will rival meat in nutritive value, will mature in three to five days, may be planted any day of the year, will require neither soil nor sunshine, will rival tomatoes in vitamin C, and will be free of waste in preparation…” The Internet is filled with fantastic tips for growing sprouts – don’t leave it for another day, start growing your own sprouts today.

Thank you again Gemma for all this great stuff! You rock!


Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Guest Post: Pressure Cooker New York Style Cheesecake in 20 Minutes

 Today I shared a really cool way to bake a cheesecake as a guest post on the Here. It cooks in 20 minutes in the pressure cooker, and the texture is remarkable!

I also shared a chocolate raspberry cheesecake variation using the same recipe!

 

 

Go check it out darlings! They also did a Print Friendly version.

 

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

 

Arizona Farm Bureau's Fill Your Plate

Remember how much excitement filled our hearts here when my boys grew their first carrots? Boy Meets Carrots. I'll never forget the looks on thier faces when they pulled those gorgeous little gardening geek-fest root veggies out of the earth.

 

I will also never tire of seeing things growing on a beautiful Arizona farm.

 

I love dinner from the garden and developing recipes using the bounty.

 

Oh...and dessert.

One of my all-time favorite easy on pot meals is this Sundried tomato blush sauce using Homemade Arizona Sundried Tomatoes

as well as this vegetarian genius meal:  "London-Broil" Portabella Mushrooms with citrus grilled pineapple.

So, I've had the amazing honor this month of being the featured celebrity chef this month on Arizona Farm Bureau's Fill Your Plate. I'm so excited!

There you go! Support local farmers! They really bring home the good stuff!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

 

More Meals in a Jar Variations. Oh...and Regional Foods of America Cooking Class Notes and Recipes!

Today I'm guest posting on Honeyville Farm's Blog with two new meal in a jar variations on the Vegetarian Meals in a Jar Base Recipe that we posted on Tuesday. It is sweeeet! 

I'm sharing these:

Classic Pasta Primavera

and a Chinese Noodle Wok 

Brace yourselves for this though...

 Yesterday I took a trip back to 4th grade and visited my son's class for some very cool lessons on regional foods of America. In handing my son the camera, I got to see some pretty cool perspectives. One that caught my attention in particular was how great he did at capturing the unique look of okra! Well done my darling boy! You're a natural!  He also caught a few of my apron with my head cut off...but I adored that too! I don't get to see life through the eyes of a 4th grader on a short plastic chair very often and it made me giggle like a geek. Yes. I was a geek in school back-in-the-day. No. I don't want to show you pictures of that awkward stage. 

I borrowed a Regional Foods of America Lesson Plan that was pretty good! 

We made some Gumbo with the fresh okra that I adapted into a just add water meal using my favorite Paula Deen Gumbo Recipe. Yes. That will be our next meal in a jar (minus the okra...I can't find it freeze dried and that's probably good because I'd eat it like popcorn!). 

We talked about grain and how the early settlers used a lot of sourdough to make their breads with simple Homemade Sourdough Starter. 

We ate some Maple Sourdough Ginger Cake with Maple Glaze

We also got the kids learning about "staple foods" like corn!

Have you ever seen a 4th grader try to make some Jimmy-Cracked-Corn? 

Oh...and we had fun with some Johnny Cakes. 

Just to make sure you have it all in one place, I'm giving you my class recipes. Plus, I just have to say that my son's teacher is adorable! I love being able to teach the kids! Thank you Chandra!  Chandra's mom was there too...and I can't tell you how nerveous I was teaching food history with a real history teacher in the classroom! Yikes.

Regional Foods of America Recipes for Face's 4th Grade Class

New England Boiled Dinner Recipe Courtesy of James Beard 1965 5 pounds corned brisket of beef 6 peppercorns Cold water to cover 1/2 pound salt pork 3 parsnips, cubed 6 carrots, scraped and cubed 2 cups cubed rutabaga, or 6 small white turnips, peeled 8 small white onions, peeled 6 medium potatoes, quartered 4-6 wedges green cabbage Chopped parsley Melted butter Place the corned beef in a kettle, add the peppercorns and cold water, cover, bring to a boil and simmer 4-5 hours or until the meat is tender, skimming occasionally. Remove meat and keep in warm place. Add the salt pork (in one piece), parsnips, carrots, rutabaga or turnips, onions and potatoes. Cook 30 minutes. Add cabbage wedges during the last 10 or 15 minutes and cook just until tender. Place the meat on platter and surround with the vegetables. Blend parsley with melted butter and spoon over vegetables. Discard salt pork, but save stock for a pot-au-feu or other stew.

Tess' Johnny Cakes Mix 4 cups cornmeal 4 cups whole wheat flour (I use fresh milled soft wheat) 1/2 cup sugar or granulated fructose 1/3 cup baking powder 1T salt 1 cup nonfat milk powder Directions: Combine all dry ingredients. To cook:Combine 2 cups mix with 1 cup water for waffles. Pancakes: 2 cups mix and 1 1/4 cup water (more or less for thicker or thinner pancakes.

Gumbo recipe courtesy Paula Deen 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves Salt and pepper 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 5 tablespoons margarine 1 large onion, chopped 8 cloves garlic minced 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped 3 stalks celery chopped 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish 4 cups hot water 5 beef bouillon cubes 1 (14-ounce can) stewed tomatoes with juice 2 cups frozen sliced okra 4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked Directions: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove. Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool. Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the green onions, shrimp and chopped parsley.

Alaskan Sourdough Maple Ginger Cake Dry ingredient mix: 1/2 cup dehydrated honey or brown sugar 2T dehydrated egg powder 1 1/2 cups whole wheat cake flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1T Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East Spice Blend (OR 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground clove, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg) To bake combine: 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup pure maple syrup 1 cup Chef Tess Homemade Sourdough Starter Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a nine inch by nine inch cake pan. Combine the dry ingredient mix. Combine the wet ingredient mixture. Mix the wet and the dry ingredients together, beating about 100 strokes by hand. Pour into prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. While cake is warm, top with the maple glaze. Maple Glaze: 2 cups organic powdered sugar 1/3 cup maple syrup 1T melted butter 1tsp Wise Woman of the East Spice Blend Heat maple syrup and butter together until just boiling. Stir in powdered sugar and spice blend. Remove from heat and use immediately on the cake. ©2009 http://cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.com Chef Stephanie Petersen. stephanie@cheftessbakeresse.com ChefTess on Facebook and Twitter.

There you go. 

Have some fun with regional foods! I know I did!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Homemade Condensed Cheesy Soup Mix and a Meal in a Jar

As for today...this is a cheesy post. I'm just Oozin' with it. Actually...I should never really use the word "oozin'" when I'm talking about food right?  Is oozin' a word? If it is then it is a word that should only be reserved for medical journals. No. I think it applies to food. I think cheese can be (and should be) oozin'...but in a totally delectable non-weird Patch Adams kind-of-way. For instance, in a proper mess of Green Chile-Bacon Baked Macaroni and Cheese when it is in its golden perfection straight from the oven with a crisp crunching topping and the cheese is melty and gooey and divine with smoky nibbles of bacon and chunks of spicy green chilies...there is certainly some remarkable, life-changing oozing going on. Am I right?

Why do I bring up the cheese?

Well, I got a really fun e-mail from my friend Zak on the Cookin' Cousins that he had received from one of their readers. He said, "I have a blog reader that has been using your condensed cream soup mix recipe and was wondering if she could make condensed cream of cheddar soup by adding some freeze dried cheese. If so, she was wondering if you have a recipe for that."

Previously on their fabulous food storage blog, I showed how to make a really simple condensed soup mix that works outstandingly well for replacing a can of soup in casseroles and "what-not". Remember this recipe?

Tess' Condensed Soup replacement Mix

Ingredients:
1/4 c Corn Starch or 1/3 cup ultra-gel
2 tsp chicken bouillon/stock granules
1 T  freeze dried onion
1/4 instant non-fat dry milk
2T  sour cream powder
1/2 tsp Chef Tess All Purpose Seasoning

Directions: Combine mix with 1 1/4 cups water whisking over medium heat.

Heat until thick, about 5 minutes. It will thicken more as it cool so don't add a lot of extra thickener or you'll end up with glue.

Yes. It does weigh just about the same amount as the contents of one small can of cream-o-gunk soup. Give or take 1/2 an ounce. I'm not worried. By the way,if you use ultra gel, you can skip the cooking step and just combine the full mix with the 1 1/4 cups warm water using a wire whisk. It will thicken in about 5 minutes. Yes. You did just make instant condensed soup pudding. Mmm...

*Chef note: Cornstarch will lose it's ability to thicken once frozen, opt for Ultra gel for freezer sauces.
Cream of mushroom: Crush 1/4 cup Freeze Dried Mushroom Slices down to 2 T crushed freeze dried mushrooms. Add to your mix.
Cream of Celery: Add 2 T  Freeze Dried Celery to the mix.

Today I'm adding some Cheese. Brace yourselves for evil-genius. 

To make condensed cheese soup you have two options: 

Option 1:  Replace the cornstarch or ultra-gel with 1/3 cup powdered cheese sauce. It will hydrate the same as the above recipe, but be cheesy. I like this one because it is just so stinkin' simple. You do not even need to heat the mix, just add water, stir and let it sit about 5 minutes. It will thicken and be ready to use.

Option 2: Use 1/2 cup Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese with the mix. Have you ever tried our amazing Freeze Dried Cheese ? It is totally wicked! Um...in the most righteous kind-of-way. Yes. It tastes like cheese, cooks like cheese and works like cheese. It IS cheese. The only ingredient in the can is cheese.

Add the freeze dried cheese to the dry mix. Hydrate the entire mixture with the normal 1 1/4 cup of water. Stir over low heat until the cheese dissolves and you have a beautiful non-lumpy cheese-oozin' divine sauce of happiness. 


To make it into a cheese soup: 

Use 1 3/4 cup water with the condensed cheese soup mix. Add 1 cup of hydrated freeze dried vegetables of your choice. 


OR for a dry vegetable cheese soup mix:

1 batch of the condensed cheese soup mix (above)

with  3/4 cup freeze-dried vegetables (of your choice). 

Directions: use 2 1/4 cup water to hydrate the entire cheese soup. You may use less or more water depending on how thick you like your cheese soup. Simmer over low heat about 15 minutes, stirring often. Does that make simple sense?

This condensed cheese soup can, of course, be used to make something as simple as a meal in a jar that we call Cheeseburger "Helper". 

Chef Tess Cheeseburger Hamburger Skillet meal in a Jar

Ingredients:

1 batch of Chef Tess' condensed soup mix (above)
1/2 cup  Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese
2 cups elbow macaroni
½ cup  Freeze Dried Ground Beef
1/4 tsp turmeric (for color)

Directions: Put all ingredients in a quart jar with an oxygen absorber and seal tightly. 

To prepare Cheeseburger Skillet Meal: Put contents of mix in a 12 inch skillet (with a lid) Add 6 cup hot water. Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer 12-15 minutes until noodles are tender. Sauce will thicken a little more as it cools. Yield 6 cups prepared. 4 servings. 1 1/2 cup each. 365 calories. 6 grams fat.

There you go my darlings! Make some easy cheesy condensed soup. Enjoy!

• If you want more recipes for meals in a jar go here: 52 Method Meals in a Jar. 
• For the safety and basics on meals in a jar go here:  Emergency Preparedness and Everyday Convenience COMPLETE Meal- in-A-Jar Mixes (7 day Menu). 




Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

I am no longer the corporate chef for Honeyville but we still love them dearly. My family is greatly blessed and relies heavily on the extra money brought in by sales tracked back to this site. This is also the company that packages and sells my spice line as well as my food storage cookbooks. Thank you so very much for your support. Xoxo!

Carbs 101 and Low Carb Bread

I got to be a guest blogger on the  Honeyville Farms Blog today. Why not jump over and see what all the buzz is about regarding low carb cooking and baking. I think it's one of the coolest posts I've done. Enjoy. I'll be at the Honeyville retail store in Rancho Cucamonga, California this Saturday for TWO classes. One at 10 AM and one at 2 PM. Both Classes are on Grain Surgery 101...how to use all those beautiful grains!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Call and reserve your spot. Class is free on Saturday but we need to have an accurate count of how many will be attending.
Honeyville Farms Retail Store - RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CAHoneyville Farms Retail Store | 9175 Milliken Ave.| Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
Phone: (909) 2431050 FAX: (909) 980-0469
Hours of Operation: Monday thru Friday: 9:00AM - 6:00PM, Saturday: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
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Carbohydrates 101 and Low Carb Bread

I'll start off sweet. There's been a lot of talk in the media and in blood-sugar news (Do you think the blood sugar news delivers on Sunday? With comics?). For the most part the thing that the publications can agree on is the fact that sugars that are broken down in your body from starches that you eat will have an impact on the "blood glucose" level in your body. For diabetics and those wanting to control their blood sugar level, the use of foods that have a minimal effect on how fast your blood sugar levels rise is a really happy idea. I have a sister that I call Auntie Em. I've loved her my whole ding-a-dang life and have seen her struggle with type 1 diabetes. It's a frustrating disease with fatal side effects if not taken care of properly. So, can I start out in all seriousness, by saying that though I'm silly sometimes, I know that this is a very important post. It can effect a lot of people to have some idea of how to eat to help control their blood sugar levels. If you're not diabetic, when someone says they are diabetic, it is not something to take lightly. When their blood sugar levels get too low or too high, the results could land them in the hospital.  However, controlling your blood sugar is not only a concern for someone struggling with diabetes, but also for anyone wanting to lose weight. Period. It's a proven fact. If you eat food that keeps your blood sugar levels at a nice even rate, you will burn fat. Now do I have your attention?  What a treat.

Revolutionary Ideas

A few years ago, Auntie Em had me read a book called "The Glucose Revolution". I had a paradym shift my thinking when it came to carbohydrates. I no longer used the the term "complex carb" like I had in school. The evidence was put clearly enough for me to know that my line of thinking when it came to carbs was one that needed to be re-visited. Since that book there has been a lot of research on how blood sugar is effected by carbohydrates. There is now a lot of evidence supporting a method of tracking the impact carbohydrates have on your blood sugar using a chart called the Glycemic Index. "The Glycemic Index is a numerical Index that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response (i.e. their conversion to glucose within the human body). Glycemic Index uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose serves as a reference point, and is given a Glycemic Index (GI) of 100." For more information on the science behind this index, go here. 

Switch it Out

For the most part, I found that I could easily change how I looked at carbohydrates. By choosing ones that were low on the Glycemic index, I could still eat carbohydrates and lose weight. For Auntie Em, this meant that she too could eats some carbs more than others and still control her blood sugar levels. It made a huge impact on my family and my life. So, that's what I'm sharing today. Generally I try to keep my GI under 55 on the index. I still eat carbs, not in excess, but found some result really amazing for foods I thought were "complex". In general, grain that is kept whole, cracked or rolled will have a lower GI than those that are milled into flour. The only exception is Almond flour, it's high in protein and very low GI. Even so, whole grain flour, because of it's fiber, will be lower on the GI. I've also discovered the benefits of using a lot more fiber in my diet!  Wow does fiber effect...a lot of things...um...including your colon health. How's that for being tactful right there? What a treat.

In all reality there are other factors, but the one that most excited me was seeing what the common foods were that I used, that could easily be changed or replaced with lower Glycemic index foods to help me. You will want to read about the Glycemic Load and how you don't have to entirely avoid all high "GI" foods. Here's a chart that I found helpful. Portion size does matter. Darn it...you still can't eat until you pop...but at least you can feel great knowing you're taking care of something very important to your health. 

Glycemic Indexes and Glycemic Loads for Common Foods

GI and GL for Common Foods
Food	GI	Serving Size	Net Carbs	GL
Peanuts	14	4 oz (113g)	15	2
Bean sprouts	25	1 cup (104g)	4	1
Grapefruit	25	1/2 large (166g)	11	3
Pizza	30	2 slices (260g)	42	13
Lowfat yogurt	33	1 cup (245g)	47	16
Apples	38	1 medium (138g)	16	6
Spaghetti	42	1 cup (140g)	38	16
Carrots	47	1 large (72g)	5	2
Oranges	48	1 medium (131g)	12	6
Bananas	52	1 large (136g)	27	14
Potato chips	54	4 oz (114g)	55	30
Snickers Bar	55	1 bar (113g)	64	35
Brown rice	55	1 cup (195g)	42	23
Honey	55	1 tbsp (21g)	17	9
Oatmeal	58	1 cup (234g)	21	12
Ice cream	61	1 cup (72g)	16	10
Macaroni and cheese	64	1 serving (166g)	47	30
Raisins	64	1 small box (43g)	32	20
White rice	64	1 cup (186g)	52	33
Sugar (sucrose)	68	1 tbsp (12g)	12	8
White bread	70	1 slice (30g)	14	10
Watermelon	72	1 cup (154g)	11	8
Popcorn	72	2 cups (16g)	10	7
Baked potato	85	1 medium (173g)	33	28
Glucose	100	(50g)	50	50

The table below shows values of the Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) for a few common foods. GI's of 55 or below are considered low, and 70 or above are considered high. GL's of 10 or below are considered low, and 20 or above are considered high.

Learning More
Additional information and values for Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load can be found at www.glycemicindex.com.

Read More http://nutritiondata.self.com/topics/glycemic-index#ixzz1kRnpny00

The good news, is that we can still have bread. We just need to use a lot of whole grain with fiber and protein. In this battle I employ Vital Wheat Gluten very often as a lean protein boost.  For those who are really concerned about impact carbs...this is a bread that I think you'll really like that is also lower on the GI...and at 5 net carbs a slice, even the diabetics will call it their new best friend! What a treat.

Aimee Krey is also diabetic and remarkable. If you don't know her, she is one of the Instructors at the Honeyville retail store in Salt Lake City who also has a food blog and is a guest on Studio 5. Aimee inspired me with her low carb bread recipe. Aimee Krey's Low Carb Bread (for the bread machine). Aimee told me she had struggled getting the bread to work out of the bread machine. I didn't use one.  Here's my adaptation of that recipe. Thank you Aimee! Yields one loaf of low carb bread (12 slices at 5 net carbs each). I'm with Aimee, I adore the texture the seeds give the bread.

Chef Tess' Low Carb Bread

4 tsp yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

3T olive oil

1 1/4 cup warm water (no hotter than 115 degrees)

3/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup Granular Erythritol

1 cup Vital Wheat Gluten

 1 cup Blanched Almond Flour
1/4 cup Flax seed
1/4 cup  Corn Bran
2T Sesame Seed
1/4 cup Teff 

In a gallon size bowl, combine the baking powder, salt,  Erythritol, Vital Wheat gluten, almond flour, Flax seed, corn bran, Sesame Seed and teff.

  In a medium bowl combine the yeast, sugar, olive oil and water. Set aside until yeast mixture activates and bubbles. Add to the dry ingredients and knead by hand about 3 minutes until a mass of seeds can be seen safely nestled in a mesh of vital wheat gluten. Form into a ball. Cover and allow to raise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

 Punch down. Transfer to a counter top that has been lightly misted with water. Form into a loaf (tutorial here). Lightly coat the top of the loaf with a misting of oil. Cover loosely with plastic and allow to raise 45 minutes longer. 

 Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread 35-40 minutes (until over 165 degrees internal temperature). 

There you go! What a treat!  Happy baking. Happy new world of carbs! 

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess